Hello

rrwhaley · August 2005

My name is Ron (48) PSA 28.3 score of 7, bone scan & CT tommorrow, and single parent of a 12 year old daughter. I'm told it spreaded outside the prostate. Wil talk with my MD this friday, for teatment options. It hard to work or do anything. I seen my grandfather die in 91, and my father in 02. I been in perfect health up to this point. Now I'm very worried putting it mildly. Do not have many friends or family, just my daughter. Thanks for listening. I just had to let it out.

bitaday · August 2005

hello
I'v been in a very stressful position about two month ago hearing that my father has metastatic prostate cancer.but after two mounth I think that all family accept that life is going on and we should enjoy it.Idont know what will hapen.I asked many urologists about prognosis & survival.All of them have some paitents whith the same stage of caner and having normal life.I realy hope that it will be the same with my father.Any way you are young and healthy.be hopeful and strong for your daughter.god bless you.

Photon · August 2005

Ron

I had Gleeson 8s and it had spread outside the prostrate but not to the bones or as they found out during the RP not to the lymph nodes. Have subsequently had radiotherapy (psa was 0.3) but felt well throughout. My psa is now going down and I feel well after 16 months. I wasn't going to let this beat me.

You can beat this too and live a happy life with your young daughter who will know that cancer is serious and be very anxious. My thoughts go to both of you.

I have also changed my lifestyle...dropping diary, eating organic produce, keeping away from red meat and moderating the wine and beer. I read this diet from a breast cancer sufferer who was a professor and had researched the subject thoroughly.

Hope you have a few friends you and your daughter can lean during this trying period. I didn't have many but the few I had were wonderful.

God bless you and the youngster

bicdawg · August 2005

Hey dude, I'm 53 and I lost my wife, of 24 years to ovarian cancer. I was left with a 12 year old daughter. I had my RP in 2004 and I'm still around. My daughter will be 18 this November. Just take the days one at a time and do what you have to do to take care of your self and it will all work out with time and the help of God.

2ndBase · August 2005

Ron, sorry to hear about your trouble and I can relate as my PSA was 24 and Gleason of 9 in Nov. 2002. Since it was assummed to be outside the prostate I decided to get a Lupron shot and later had the max amount of radiation allowed but no surgery. I wont tell you it is easy or that you wont regret whatever you decide to do but try to stay positive and live with your decision. I am now 54 years old and because of the cancer lost my job and now have no insurance and am finding it hard to find anyone willing to hire a cancer survivor. If you take treatment it will change your life very dramatically so give a lot of thought to what you choose. You can reach me at angelsnamerica1@aol.com if you want to talk sometime and I wish you all the best.

breadmond · August 2005

Hi Ron,
I read your message for the first time a couple of days ago and decided to think awhile on how to reply.
I have more time now as I sit here with a urinary catheter inplace, as a result of my desision to have a RP on August 9th. I'm having a hard time replying to you because I have a wife to take care of me and other for support. My doctor called to let us know that the post-op pathology report looks good.
My best hopes and prayers goes to you. I was once a single parent for 15 years raising 3 kids. There was good times and bad. It seemed like the bad times would never end, but they did. Take care of your job! The sun will shine.
I think my best advice to you other then the obvious is "get a second opinion" no matter how much you like your doctor. Even my doctor advised me to get a second opinion. See what someone else has to say. This is a very important life decision, be sure you know what your doing. There is a lot of good information to be read. I read Dr. Patrick Walsh's Guide to Surving Prostate Cancer. It helped me perhaps it will help you.
Keep us informed, stay strong. Gods blessings. Twinbrook2

mbeavers · August 2005

Ron,
I had a similar diagnosis in Jan of 2000. I opted to have 3-d radiation treatments at Southwest Urology in Brunswick, Ohio. My cancer was also out of the box as they say. I tolerated the radiation very well and then went on Hormone therapy. The Lupron & casodex were another story side effects were intolerable for me. I tried the hormone therapy off and on with the same effects. Long story short, The cancer has metasitized to my ribs and lower spine. I decided to have an orchiectomy (kinda makes your interest in a sex life unimportant) to remove that dreaded testerone along with Casodex to shut down the testerone from the adrenelan gland. PSA numbers are steady around 3.5. I have some discomfort when I weed wack and mow and crawl around the ground working on the car. But with a half of a Vicadin once in a while I manage. Best advice keep positive and don't give up.I am going on five years in January since diagnosis and am looking forward to a bunch more years.
You can e-mail me at michaelbeavers@sharonstair.com
Hang in there I am praying for you.

bensdad · October 2005

First I will say, stay positive. I was diagnosised in March 2004 at the age of 58. I had no symptoms, none of my 5 older brothers or father had PCa and my diet and lifestyle should have placed me in the very low risk category.
In 1994 my wife and I separated; shortly after my father of 87 passed away suddenly and having no children I moved home to care for my mother to keep her in her own home. A stroke, though still mentally alert, confined her to bed for the last three years of her life until passing in March of 2001, at 95. Though I have no regrets, stress was a factor due to many sleepless nights.
Until PCa I was always healthy and had never been hospitalized. I live alone, and do not have a lot of friends either, but do have a niece near my age that I am very close to. She was a great support. I kept it from my family for 4 months while I did some research. I did join the cancer connect program and was paired by phone with another single man who had gone through PCa. I found this a big help. I also joined a local cancer support group where I could learn from other men about their experiences and the treatment options. I chose conformal radiation, which started in Dec '04 and into the 3rd week of Jan '05. This treatment requires placing 3 gold seeds into the prostate to help the computer line up with treatment area correctly every day. Conformal gives a higher dose of radiation to a smaller area. There were 38 treatments 5 days a week. I don't know where you are from but in Canada we don't have to pay for the treatments which relieves a lot of stress. I had little to no side effects. Slight restriction of urine flow which was helped with "flomax" taken for 8 weeks. Slight tiredness for a few days after treatments finished. I was able to drive myself back and forth to the hospital 46 miles return and continued with normal acivities daily. I chose radiation because I lived alone and wanted the least recovery time. I still have erections and sexual function, which worries a lot of men. However, as they say at our group, "better to be limp and alive, than with an erection in your coffin.
As I said in the beginning it is very important to stay positive and to keep a sense of humor. Talk about it only when you feel like it and to someone who will help keep a positive spin on things. The treatment choice has to be yours alone. Make sure you have a doctor that you can tallk to freely, and will listen to your concerns. I went to 3 before I got one that I felt comfortable with. I wish you well and would like to hear how you make out.
There is life after PCa and each day is a treasure.

rrwhaley · October 2005

Hi all

Thanks for all the replies

An update

Had the Bone & CT Scan, it is neg. for spreading. I recieved a Lupron Depot Shot. Had it in my arm, and it was sore for a week. I start Wenesday (10/12)with RP for 7 weeks. I been hanging in their. But I seem to think about this alot.

Thanks for listening and writing back
Ron

P.S. My daughter want to say "Hi"

Hello

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